Download CATBOAT GUIDE and SAILING MANUAL

Second Reef
1.
Let go of mainsheet and raise topping lift to take weight of boom, and let cat heave to.
2.
Lower peak and throat halyards so upper reef cringle is at the level of the boom.
3.
Go forward to secure 2nd reef downhaul to tack.
4.
Secure reef outhaul on leech to cleat on the port side of the boom.
5.
With this reef it is necessary to tie in some of the reef points to keep the sail from hanging below the boom.
6.
Release topping lift and resume course.
Note: Wind strong enough to require a second reef may also raise a considerable sea in open waters. The ability of any
small boat to make progress to the windward under such conditions is limited, so keep well off a lee shore under conditions
of rising wind.
Heaving-To
Cat boats are work boats in origin, and a typical 19th century crew consisted of one man and a boy. They had to handle the
catboat while making a hard and dangerous living. Lines, traps and nets had to be pulled in all kinds of conditions while
the cat took care of herself. Different wind and wave conditions will vary the way the Cat heaves to, so try practicing in
various conditions beforehand.
Simply let go of the tiller and mainsheet while going to windward. Take care that the mainsheet doesn't tangle on a cleat
or the tiller. The Cat will stop and lie sideways to the wind. Raise the centerboard and slowly haul in the mainsheet until
the sail partly fills and she begins to point up. She is now in ―park‖, moving very slowly forward and to the leeward,
constantly adjusting herself to maintain this attitude. You can catch a fish, oil some teak, or go below to fix your lunch
In stronger wind conditions you may want to try lashing the tiller to leeward and trimming the mainsheet in a little
further. She should then ―scallop‖ up to windward, fall off and do it again and again. Trying out these tricks beforehand
will help make it easy when you have to heave-to while reefing in rough conditions.
Racing
The things that make one catboat faster than another are numerous. To mention a few: the skill of the skipper, the
condition of the sail and hull, local knowledge, the start, having the right amount of sail up for the wind conditions, the
design and others. In most of the above only you can help yourself. It's a good idea to follow the most successful skipper
prior to the start to see how he aligns his catboat in relationship to the starting line.
A sailboat goes through the water with laminar flow in about the forward third of the hull. It is therefore a wise idea to
clean this area prior to racing. Rough bottom paint and marine growth disturb this smooth flow and should be cleaned up.
(That is the reason we do not like to put through-hulls in this area.)
The Cat will sail through a chop a lot better with an 80 pound lead ingot sitting on the forward bunk just aft of the mast.
Try shifting crew weight up forward. Some of the things that work in light air don't in heavy air! Experiment; don't just sit
there!
Scandalizing
According to the misinformation put out by the boating press, the advantage of the gaff rig is in being able to ―scandalize‖
the gaff. Scandalizing is achieved by dropping the peak halyard and allowing the gaff to hang down. This provides a
smaller, triangular sail.
The disadvantages of scandalizing are numerous and it is not recommended.
1.
The gaff is swinging wildly and uncontrollably and is aiming for the top of your head.
2.
The sail is being stretched on the bias and will lose its shape if this is done frequently.
3.
The sail that results from scandalizing is inefficient for anything but running down wind.
It is reported that professional catboat sailors (i.e. fisherman) were never seen to do this, and rightly so.!
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